… competition.”
“And you joined, and you won. I knew you’d win right from the start.” Just as she knew he couldn’t have lost his voice. She pointed to the microphone. “Please?”
“What if I can’t … can’t sing anymore?”
She pulled off her earphones. “Do you remember the first time we met?”
He nodded, but he didn’t say anything.
“You saw my mother berating me in front of the whole neighborhood for being a crybaby.” She had told her mother that she needed a signature on a consent form. Her mother proceeded to go crazy on her for being rude and inconsiderate and for not having the basic manners of waiting until she was in a better mood.
Technically, her mother said she should have waited for her to be free.
Chloe always did that. She had already peeked into the room, and her mother was sitting in front of her dresser, not doing anything.
When her mother started shouting, Chloe escaped out of the house, thinking that getting out of her mother’s sight would resolve the situation.
It did not, of course.
Her mother went after her, shouting at her all the way.
“Then you came over and shouted at my mom to stop.” She grinned. “No one ever stood up for me that way. I still remember how bad I felt when your mom came over and made you apologize.”
“My mom only pretended … to be angry with me. I actually … got ice cream for standing up for … you.”
“Aah.” That explained why the colors were so weird. “Why did she pretend to be angry with you?”
One of his shoulders twitched upwards.
She squinted and leaned forward. “Why did your mom make you apologize?”
He sighed softly. “Because she was afraid I’d … made things worse for you.”
She swallowed as her tears welled.
“Don’t cry.” He went over and knelt in front of her.
She closed her eyes and shook her head. “I’m not going to cry.” She gave him a hug, leaning her head against his shoulder.
His shoulder was broader and a lot stronger than she remembered.
When she realized what she was thinking, she shook her head and straightened. “Thank you,” she said. “And I’ve always loved you for who you are, not because of your voice.”
She sniffed. “So Chris, whether you choose to sing or not, it doesn’t matter to me.”
“It isn’t about choice.”
She shrugged, took his hand, and pulled him back to the microphone. “Please.”
His eyes slitted.
Please, she mouthed. She wasn’t sure if she should be pushing him like this. She wouldn’t mind if he never sang again, but Christopher had always been proud of his voice. She didn’t want him to lose something he was proud of. “Please.”
He cracked a small smile, and she grinned and returned to her seat.
Christopher couldn’t take his eyes off Chloe’s smile. There had always been something about her, and he’d always loved her, too. He only wished she loved him the way he loved her.
He knew it was impossible. He was eight years too late, and she was with someone now.
Even if there was a chance, he had no right to pursue it, not anymore.
He wished the kiss hadn’t ended; he wished it could go on forever, but he shouldn’t have kissed her.
He cleared his throat before he lost himself in a daydream.
“I’ll try … but I can’t promise anything.” He moved behind the microphone.
“You can do it.”
He believed her whenever she said he could do anything. When she told him she was confident he would win the competition, he believed her. There was no reason to, but he did.
His mom had always told him that he sang well, but all mothers thought the best of their children, except Chloe’s.
“All I’m asking is for you to try.” She put the earphones back in place and gestured for him to go ahead.
He inhaled deeply through his nose and opened his mouth. A sound came out, but it was nowhere near a note.
He shook his head, then turned and walked out of the room without looking at Chloe.
His throat burnt, and thoughts